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3 things to expect in a hearing exam

Jan. 15, 2018

If you’re postponing a hearing exam because you’re afraid it’ll be painful, costly, and too time-consuming, Audiologist Dr. Susan Rogan says, “In a word, no! A complete hearing exam and consultation is approximately $70-95. Using computerized equipment, the pain-free test takes less than an hour.”

What are three things you can expect in an exam?

1. The audiologist will ask your medical and hearing history. She’ll ask what problems you’re experiencing, and when did they start. Did hearing loss start suddenly, or has it been gradually worsening? Have you had pain, infections, or ringing in your ears? Do you have to ask people to repeat themselves often?

2. The audiologist will exam your ears with a light called an otoscope. She may gently pull the ear back and up, to best see the ear canal and eardrum.

3. She will conduct painless tests to evaluate hearing loss levels. Rogan explains, “I perform a pure-tone air conduction test which records the very softest tones a patient can hear while sitting in a quiet room wearing headphones. Next is the bone conduction test, where tones are sent to a device placed behind the ear to assess inner ear hearing ability. We also do speech testing, to determine a person’s speech reception and discrimination threshold. It can be performed in a quiet or noisy environment.”

Based on the test results, the doctor will determine if additional testing is necessary. Rogan adds, “I discuss the results with the patient, and if necessary, fit him or her with hearing aids to try. We advise people to get help as soon as possible, as early intervention leads to better outcomes.”